{"id":46303,"date":"2017-01-30T10:43:35","date_gmt":"2017-01-30T18:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/?p=46303"},"modified":"2017-01-30T10:43:35","modified_gmt":"2017-01-30T18:43:35","slug":"creating-harmony-picas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/blog\/creating-harmony-picas\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Harmony with Picas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most people work with inches when designing their pages. Makes sense, right? We are used to working with inches when we start designing because that\u2019s the physical measurement unit of the format, and where we typically start: the size of the flyer, brochure, box, etc.<\/p>\n

But when we stay in inches, the type is not in harmony with the page. To rectify, we need to use the correct unit of measurement.<\/p>\n

Our type is measured in points. For example, 9 \u2013 12 point size for body copy is typical. So how do we build visual uniformity from the page to the type? Easy. Picas.<\/p>\n

I think I just heard you groan out loud. Yeah, yeah, I hear you, designers don\u2019t like math. Well guess what, this isn\u2019t rocket science, it\u2019s simple division. The units are so small using picas are easier than using inches because there\u2019s little need for fractions and decimals.<\/p>\n

\"our-notebook-picas\"<\/p>\n

A pica is a unit of space that connects points to inches. There are 6 picas to an inch. See? Sooooo simple. It is a term from the 1580s, probably from pica, a name of a book of rules in the Church of England for determining holy days. I know, a little random.<\/p>\n

A point is the unit we use to measure overall type size, and there are 12 of them in a pica. So, if there are 12 points in a pica and 6 picas to an inch, there is 72 points to an inch. That means, depending on the typeface, a header that\u2019s 72-point type size, could be possibly an inch high. Easy, right?<\/p>\n

\"our-notebook-picas-points\"<\/p>\n

Next time you open up a fresh Adobe InDesign document, don\u2019t immediately switch your measurement system to inches (um yes, points and picas are the default!).<\/p>\n

Instead, try typing in your format size in an inch measurement (for example: 8 in), and InDesign will convert it automatically for you. Thanks, Adobe. Picas and points are the measurement system of the environment you\u2019re working in for print. It\u2019s not inches. It\u2019s not pixels. It\u2019s points and picas.<\/p>\n

I use points and picas to create a visual relationship from the page to the type. It\u2019s that intimate relationship that creates great looking copy on the page. Columns, alleys, gutters, margins; they all look better if set in a relative measure to the type size.<\/p>\n

Develop a fondness with points and picas. Love them and they\u2019ll love you back.<\/p>\n

Do you use picas or inches? Tweet us at @TypeEd<\/a> and let us know your preference.<\/p>\n

\n

Michael Stinson is a co-founder and instructor at TypeEd<\/a>, where he helps designers implement better typography, efficiently. Get more typography in your inbox when you sign up for more updates about TypeEd.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you use picas or inches when designing? Michael Stinson, co-founder of Type Ed, makes the argument for one over the other.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":46304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[69,70],"class_list":["post-46303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-creative-insights","tag-typeed","tag-typography-tidbits"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCreating Harmony with Picas | Creative Circle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Monthly Typography Tidbits help to feed your typographic hunger and nourish your design output.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Creating Harmony with Picas\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Monthly Typography Tidbits 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